Variable ornamental design

ABSTRACT

The present invention relates to a decorative arrangement for desk sets and the like. Generally, the member to be decorated is rectangular in shape. The member is provided with a plurality of grooves which run the length of the member and are adapted to receive a plurality of moveable letters. The movable letters or monograms may be fit into one or all of the grooves and are interchangeably connectable in the various grooves. The grooves not used to house the letters or monograms are adapted to receive a decorative stripping which may be removably connected therein or permanently fixed in position. A V-shaped slot may be provided in the center of the member and runs parallel with the grooves the length of the member.

ilied States Patent [45] Patented Dec. 28, 1971 [54] VARIABLE ORNAMENTALDESIGN 2 Claims, 12 Drawing Figs. [52] US. Cl 161/40, 40/140,40/358,161/49,161/145, 248/127 [51] lint. Cl. 843m 17/00, G09f 7/02 [50]Field of Search 21 1/69.2-69.4,

69.5-69.9; 248/127, 148, 146; 206/17.1; 222/576-577; 40/140, 358, 334;l6l/40, 49, 145; D74/6.l

2,152,161 3/1939 Sypher 161/40X 2,586,978 2/1952 Murray.. 16l/40X2,659,169 11/1953 Brennan l61/40X 2,689,423 9/1954 Atkin 40 1402,864,275 12/1958 Fralligra. 84/471 11823570 11 1952 c1a11 161/40XPrimary Examiner-John T. Goolkasian Assistant Examiner-Joseph C. GilAttorney-Bertram Frank ABSTRACT: The present invention relates to adecorative arrangement for desk sets and the like. Generally, the memberto be decorated is rectangular in shape. The member is provided with aplurality of grooves which run the length of the member and are adaptedto receive a plurality of moveable letters. The movable letters ormonograms may be fit into one or all of the grooves and areinterchangeably connectable in the various grooves. The grooves not usedto house the letters or monograms are adapted to receive a decorativestripping which may be removably connected therein or permanently fixedin position. A V-shaped slot may be provided in the center of the memberand runs parallel with the grooves the length of the member.

VARIABLE ORNAMENTAL DESIGN It has been known in the prior art to providedesk sets, bookends, and desk blotters of various types. In each ofthese prior art sets, a desk base or bookend is usually provided for theretention of at least one pen and in many instances provided a place forthe laying of pens and or pencils. The places so provided for the extrapens and pencils generally took the form of a slot which either ran thelength of the base or some distance between the ends of the base.

In all these prior art devices, generally no provision was made forornamentation of the desk base, bookend or the like unless whateverornamentation was provided was permanently affixed in position on themember.

It is the general object of the present invention to provide a memberwhich may be made to vary the ornamentation thereof.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a member that mayreceive individual lettering that may be interchangeably placed inposition on the member.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a member for adesk set which will be decorative and provide for the placing of penholders as well.

Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a member thatmay substitute ornamental strips of material or lettering in variouspositions on the member.

The objects above described and other objects of the present inventionwill become more apparent as the description proceeds are achieved byproviding a variably orna mented member comprising a member, a pluralityof grooves in said member adapted to receive at least one letter, saidat least one letter interchangeably connectable in at least one of saidgrooves, an ornamental strip connectable in at least one of saidgrooves, means in said plurality of grooves for maintaining the lettersor strips in position, and connecting means or the letters and stripscooperating with said means in said grooves for holding the same inposition.

For a better understanding of the present invention reference should behad to the accompanying drawings wherein like numerals of referenceindicate similar parts throughout the respective views and wherein:

FIG. I is a top view of a member,

FIG. 2 is an end view of the member,

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a letter used on the member,

FIG. 4 is plan view of the rear side of the letter used on the member,

FIG. 5a is a partial cross-sectional view of an alternative groovearrangement in the member,

FIG. 5b is a cross-sectional view of a letter used with the groovearrangement of FIG. 511,

FIG. 6a is a partial end view of a member using another alternativegroove arrangement,

FIG. 6b is a cross-sectional view of a letter used in conjunction withthe member of FIG. 6a,

FIG. 7 is a partial end view showing a further alternative groovearrangement,

FIG.8a is a rear view of a letter using an alternative means offastening,

FIG. 8b is a cross-sectional view of the letter of FIG. 8a, and

FIG. 9 is a top view of an alternative base member.

Although the principles of the present invention are broadly applicablefor any decorative member such as bookend, pen holding desk sets,blotter holders, clock stands or any personalized article, thisinvention is particularly well adapted to desk sets and hence it hasbeen so described. It should be particularly understood, however, thatthis principle and means of variably decorating a member should not belimited to the article herein described, and further that this inventionis adaptable to wooden, marble, metallic or plastic members which mayuse ornamentation.

Referring now to the invention shown in FIG. 1, a member for a penholding desk set is generally indicated by the reference numeral 10.

The base member I0 may take the general shape of a rectangle, however,it is contemplated that other forms and shapes such as circular, oval,square and triangular base members may be used. It should further beunderstood that the material which comprise the base member 10 is notlimited to wood but may use marble, metal in any form or any otherappropriate decorative material.

The base member I0 is provided with a top surface 12 and a bottomsurface I4. The bottom surface which generally rests on a desk or worktable may be provided with small legs or may be lined with a softmaterial of any kind to prevent the scratching of the surface on whichit rests.

The top surface of the base member I0 may have thereon a flat surfaceportion 16 on which may be mounted at least one penholder 18 which mayhold a fountain or ballpoint-type pen (not shown). In order to providefor the retention of more than two pens and to prevent the rolling offor sliding off of round objects laid on the base member 10, a slot 20may be provided which runs the length of the base member from one end 22thereof to the other end 24. The slot 20 may take the form of a V-shapedindentation, however, it is not to be limited to the V-shape. Otherconvenient forms may be utilized consistent with the purpose of the slot20. Normally two penholders are provided, as shown in FIG. 1.

Beneath the slot 20 a second flat surface 26 may be provided, however,the second flat surface may be angled slightly downwardly. As shown inFIG. 2 the second flat surface 26 tapers downwardly, only slightly,toward the bottom surface 14 of the base member 10. This slight taperingaffords a decorative touch to the shape of the base member 10 withoutnecessitating the usage of other ornate material.

In order to decorate the base member 10 with letters, initial, monogramsand other designs, a design-holding means 28 may be provided beneath thesecond flat surface 26. As shown in FIGS. I and 2, the design-holdingmeans 28 takes the form of a plurality of grooves 30 which run thelength of the base member 10 from one end 22 thereof to the other end 24thereof. As shown in FIG. 2 there may be provided three grooves 30,having raised portions 32 therebetween. The raised portions 32, however,are slightly lower in height and are slightly recessed below the secondflat surface 26 and the continuing end surface 34 of the base member 10.The purpose of the slightly recessed raised portions will be more fullydiscussed.

Alternatively as shown in FIG. 9, the design holding means 28d maymerely be the form of a strip 48d which is adhered to the base member orwhich may be slightly recessed in the base member, onto which adecorative piece may be placed. This will be more fully disclosed as thedescription proceeds.

The invention, presently described, contemplates the use of a pluralityof decorative letters or initials 36 which are insertable in or on thedesign-holding means 28 and which are removable therefrom and arereplaceable. Further, since the letters or initials are removable theymay be shifted in or on the design holding means to varying positionstherefore the designs are capable of being varied. By way ofillustrations, each letter may be provided with a top surface 38 and abottom surface 40. The top surface 38 may have disposed thereon adecorative design 42 (herein shown as an initial). The bottom surface 40may be provided with a connecting means 44 in the form of small pointedprotuberances 46. The protuberances 46 may be so spaced such that theywill ride in the grooves 30 of the design-holding means 28. Thedecorative design 42 may overlap onto the second flat surface 26 and thecontinuing end surface 34, however, the protuberances 46 will ride inthe grooves 30. In this manner several letters 36 may be aligned in thedesign-holding means 28, and which letters 36 are easily removable orslideable to different positions.

It may be seen that using this arrangement of grooves 30 andprotuberances 46 on the bottom surfaces 40 of the letters 36 ordecorative designs 42 may be placed on different levels in the samedesign holding means 28, thereby creating a stepped affect in thedisposition of the letters.

Although the grooves 30 do not appear to detract from the generaloverall beauty of the design on the base member 10, a

decorative strip 48 may be slid into or placed in the design holdingmeans 28. The bottom surface 50 of the decorative strip 48 may beprovided with an adhesive substances to hold the strip 48 is position onthe decorative holding means 28. it may be seen that the raised portions32 between the grooves 30 are slightly recessed below the top surface 12so that decorative strip 48 may rest thereon and further provide asmooth continuity from the second flat surface 26 over the top surfaceof the decorative strip 48 to the continuing end surface 34. It may beseen that the user of the base member 10 may dispense with the use ofthe letters 36 and merely apply the strip 48 as the only design on thebase member 10.

Alternatively, the grooves 30 as shown in FIG. 2 may be replaced by thegroves 30b shown in FIG. 5. FIG. 5 shows the use of dovetail-shapedgrooves 30b, here again having the raised portions 32!: between thegrooves 30b slightly recessed. In the utilization of this particulartype of structure, the letter 36 would have on its lower or bottomsurface 40 a matching dovetail arrangement 46a rather than the pointedprotuberances 46. With this structural arrangement, the decorative strip48 would not require any adhesive on its bottom surface because insliding into the design-holding means 28a the strip would be held inplace by the overhang of the dovetailed walls. In this case the stripcould not be inserted from the top of the design-holding means 28a butwould of necessity have to be slid into position from the side.

Yet a further alternative design-holding means 28b may be seen in FIG.6a. As shown therein a series of stepped grooves 30b may be provided. Inthis instance the lowermost groove 31b may be fitted with a magnetizedstrip 52 which is susceptible to holding a metallic member 54 which maybe provided on the bottom surface of a letter. In this manner themagnetized strip 52 in contact with the metal member 54 on the bottomsurface of the letter and strip would hold the same in position in thedesign-holding means 28b. This arrangement of parts is particularly wellsuited for ease of variation of designs and differing lettercombinations.

Another alternative groove arrangement as shown in FIG. 7 wherein isshown a larger number of grooves 30c with the same structuralconfiguration of the preferred embodiment (of FIGS. 1 and 2). With thisarrangement the letters may be staggered, in a declining or ascendingpattern as previously discussed. In this situation decorative strip 48would be wider to cover the entire design-holding means 28c.

Referring now to FIGS. 8a, 8b, and 9 it may be recognized by thoseskilled in the art that an excellent apparatus for creating a design ona marble or wooden base member 10d may be provided by the adherence ofthe strip 48d to the top surface 12d. The strip 48d may be provided suchit protrudes above the top surface 12d and may act as a guide means fora plurality ofletters 36d to be mounted thereon, as well as a decorativeelement.

As shown in FIGS. 80 and 8b, the letters 36d may be provided with anL-shaped foot member 56 at each corner 58 on the bottom surface 40d ofthe letter 36d. The distance between the edges 60 of the L-shaped footmember 56 is approximately equal to the width ofthe strip 48d, such thatwhen the letter 36d is placed in position on the base member 10d theL-shaped foot members will straddle the strip and be aligned in properposition thereover. In order to adhere the letter 36d in position on thestrip 48d an adhesive member 62 may be provided on the bottom surface40d of the letter 36d such that when the letter is aligned on the stripthe adhesive material 62 will be in firm contact with the strip 48d andwill firmly hold the letter in position. As shown in FIG. 8b thecombination of the adhesive member 62 and the strip 48 d isapproximately the height of the L-shaped leg members so that the letterwhen placed in position will be firmly in contact with the surfaces 26dand 34d and no wobbling will occur.

With this alternative arrangement, which is usable on marble as well aswooden desk sets or bookends will provide a varying design arrangementfor whatever elements on which a design is applied.

In summary it will be recognized by those skilled in the art, from theabove disclosure that a base member 10 ofa desk set may be providedwhich will present a high degree of ornamental versatility and yetprovide an efficient base member 10 for a desk set.

While in accordance with the patent statutes a preferred and alternativeembodiments have been shown and described in detail, it is particularlyunderstood that the invention is not limited thereto or thereby.

lclaim:

1. A variable design member comprising a base member, said base memberhaving a top surface, at least one groove in said top surface running atleast the partial length of said base member, a strip removablyinsertable in said groove and adapted to protrude above the top surfaceof said base member, said strip having a predetermined width, at leastone ornamental design member adapted to fit over said strip, each ofsaid ornamental design members being rectangular in shape and beingprovided with a top and bottom surface, a decorative design beingdisposed on said top surface of said design member, said bottom surfacehaving, in each corner an L- shaped foot member, said foot membersfacing each other and being slightly larger than the width of said stripsuch that when the ornamental design member is placed over said stripthe L- shaped foot members will straddle said strip and willautomatically be aligned thereon and means disposed on said bottomsurface of said design member for releasably holding said ornamentaldesign member on said strip.

2. A variable design member according to claim 1 wherein an adhesivemember is connected to the bottom surface of said ornamental designmember, the height of said strip protrudes above said top surface ofsaid base member and the thickness of said adhesive member being equalto the thickness of said L-shaped foot members so that the space betweensaid bottom surface of said ornamental design member and the bottom edgeof each of said L-shaped foot members is equal to the height of saidstrip protruding above said top surface of said base member and thethickness of said adhesive member.

2. A variable design member according to claim 1 wherein an adhesivemember is connected to the bottom surface of said ornamental designmember, the height of said strip protrudes above said top surface ofsaid base member and the thickness of said adhesive member being equalto the thickness of said L-shaped foot members so that the space betweensaid bottom surface of said ornamental design member and the bottom edgeof each of said L-shaped foot members is equal to the height of saidstrip protruding above said top surface of said base member and thethickness of said adhesive member.